That is the stark reality playing out in the background of Australia's first Test in South Africa in eight-and-a-half years.
South Africa is a nation facing its own battles, with anti-migrant protests turning violent in both Durban and the country's biggest city Johannesburg on Thursday.
Fourteen vehicles were torched in Durban, with riot police deployed as foreign-owned shops were looted just kilometres from Kingsmead Stadium.
According to Associated Press, a police spokesperson also confirmed three foreign nationals were arrested on suspicion of breaking a protester's neck.
On Friday South Africa's national broadcaster reported further small buildings and properties being destroyed amid more protests in Durban, as the scent of smoke briefly reached Kingsmead.
By nightfall, the premier of the KwaZulu-Natal had called for the national defence force to be deployed.
As things stand, there has been no sign of the drama coming closer to the ground.
Both Australia and the Proteas are staying in the same hotel 15 kilometres away from the ground in the opposite direction of the protests, and have escorts to and from the stadium.
Unemployment in South Africa has risen to 33.6 per cent, while crime remains a problem.
On the same day Australia were playing an ODI in Johannesburg last month, 17 people were killed in that city when multiple gunmen allegedly opened fire at a restaurant.
Playing in the shadow of political turmoil is nothing new for Australia.
In 2022 protesters stormed the famous Galle fort during a Test during an economic crisis in Sri Lanka, before rallies outside the ground turned into celebrations when the nation's president was overthrown.
Meanwhile inside Kingsmead Stadium on Friday, cricket's own challenges were laid bare on a much smaller scale.
This is the first Test the Proteas have hosted since January 2025, with South Africa becoming world champions since then by beating Australia at Lord's last year.
Hundreds of schoolchildren took up station on Kingsmead's grass banks during the first hour, but otherwise the vast majority of seats remained empty.
When Steve Smith walked to the crease there were cheers rather that jeers, in the former captain's first Test back in South Africa since Cape Town in 2018.
This was not so much down to big local support, but rather the fact the numbers in Australian tour groups rivalled the number of locals who weren't schoolchildren.
Larger crowds could arrive on Saturday and Sunday, with a hope more will turn out for a battle of the world's two best teams in the next Tests at Gqeberha and Cape Town.
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